


In Another World

by teletou



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 09:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7569661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teletou/pseuds/teletou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"In another world," Joshua starts, almost idly, chopsticks held lightly between his fingers.</p><p>Neku waits for him to turn his head, to look at him as he continues.</p><p>He doesn't. Sets down his chopsticks instead, across his bowl, shio ramen half-finished.</p><p>"There's a Neku whose favourite ramen is shouyu."</p><p>Neku and Joshua, lunch with a side of multiverse discussions.<br/><i>Prompt: Ramen</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	In Another World

Neku still doesn't know how to talk to him. White and silver, a wisp of breath, a deep underlying fear, air passing between his fingers. 

 _He's not here,_ he thinks, watching a strand of ashen hair fall untucked, a small shadow hovering over a shoulder.

 _He's not here,_ his eyes seems faraway ― not looking at him, not quite at the wall behind Doi-san's head.

 _Why wasn't here here?_ He snaps his chopsticks, perfectly split down the middle.

 _He's here,_ scooping a mouthful of ramen ―  _real ―_ a lot more than a ghost of a figure, an apparition in between gaps of Shibuya's crowds.

_Why now?_

"In another world," Joshua starts, almost idly, chopsticks held lightly between his fingers.

Neku waits for him to turn his head, to look at him as he continues.

He doesn't. Sets down his chopsticks instead, across his bowl, shio ramen half-finished.

"There's a Neku whose favourite ramen is shouyu." Joshua lets his hand slide up his face, fingers curling into his hair, cheek pressed onto a palm. "There's one whose favourite is tonkatsu," he pauses, a small giggle, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Despite so, he's still as scrawny as a twig."

"Fast metabolisms," Neku finds himself say, unthinkingly. "And you're smaller than me."

"Perhaps so." Joshua smiles, still looking towards something he couldn't see ― a space far away, a space in between. "But that's a rule that only applies to this world. Perhaps, in another, I'm taller than you."

"I'm glad that world isn't this one." Neku gives up, trying to look at his eyes. He pushes his feet against the wall, slowly swivels in his seat, stop when he faces forward.

His own ramen is getting cold. He thinks he sees a small tug of a frown reflected in the clear broth.

Joshua hums thoughtfully, amused, endeared,  _irritating._ "You  _do_ serve as convenient shade."

"Look―" Doi-san flinches, when he slams his fist down the counter, but otherwise pretends not to notice. He'll have to apologise later, but for now, he's thankful. "What are you here for, Joshua?"  _Why now? Why not three years ago?_

He hears a sharp draw of breath, Joshua closes his eyes. "In another world," his voice is whisper-soft, barely enough for Neku to hear. "There's a Neku who couldn't forgive." Joshua's brows furrowed, eyes downcast. Neku couldn't quite read him, but he has never seen Joshua make that kind of face―

_What was he supposed to say?_

"But there's also a Neku who would readily accept me." He laughs again, this time laced with something odd, out of place. Bitter. "I couldn't be sure, where this Neku lies in that realm of possibility."

" _Coward."_ Again, he speaks without meaning to, expected himself to stay silent, stare into the space between them.

"I suppose I am." He finally looks,  _looks_ at him, shoulders tense and fists balled tight on his lap.  _He's hurting,_ Neku realises, even when Joshua's face show nothing, even when he's hiding fairly well how he's trembling.

Neku wonders, if this is the first time, between the worlds he and Joshua are given the chance to have this conversation, that Joshua faces him with such open honesty. 

"So, let me ask this," he continues. "To this world's Neku ― do you forgive me?"


End file.
